Villagers' willow project to go on show in Brompton Regis

RESIDENTS of Brompton Regis will be showing off newly-acquired skills in working with willow on Good Friday, when the whole village is being invited to celebrate the completion of a special project which has been taking place during the past few months.
ARTlife, West Somerset’s arts consortium, working in partnership with West Somerset Council, has organised three village community arts projects across Exmoor recently, thanks to funding from Arts Council England South West.
More than 30 people have taken part in workshops, led by Joolz Doncaster, each making various pieces.
Project co-ordinator Jan Ross said: “We have been delighted with the response from so many members of the community.
“Young people have been involved, as well as some of the more senior members of the village.
“The children started by making boats, to learn the basic techniques of creating a base and then weaving willow onto their frame.
“They then progressed to three dimensional pieces, and now come along each Saturday afternoon, having decided themselves what they want to make - they have shown great creativity and ingenuity with their creations.”
The adults have been attending weekday or Saturday morning sessions and many have recently tackled making animals, including several pigs and a badger.
Those who have taken part will be working on special pieces using living willow, outside on the village’s Millennium Green from April 3.
A bower and a tepee are planned and the whole village has been invited to a special celebration on the green on Good Friday, when the new structures will be unveiled and to view an exhibition of all the pieces made during the project.
Hot cross buns and an Easter egg hunt will also be on offer.
“We hope as many people as possible will join us to look at all the wonderful work created in the village,” said Joolz.
“Even if the weather is against us, we will have all the pieces on show in the village hall.”
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Exmoor community art project reaches Winsford

A START has been made on a new and exciting stage of a community arts service developed over the past six years by ARTlife, the West Somerset arts consortium which works in partnership with West Somerset Council.
The ARTLife community arts development service is run for and by the people of the district, working in many different ways.
Residents of Wheddon Cross and Brompton Regis have already taken part in the project.
Wheddon Cross residents held a series of stained glass workshops during the autumn and contributed their ideas for a larger piece of work - a stained glass window for their recently refurbished village hall, which is currently being created by arts worker Avril Silk with help from local people.
In Brompton Regis, residents have recently started on a series of willow workshops to learn the skills needed to make individual small pieces with arts worker, Joolz Doncaster.
They will shortly begin to design and create a larger willow structure for their Millennium Green over the Easter holidays.
Now, residents of Winsford, led by the village hall committee, have spent time considering all the possibilities and have decided to look at making a tiled wall mural for the village hall, which is currently undergoing major refurbishment.
An introduction to the project is being held in the village hall at 10.30 am on Saturday, March 17, when anybody who is interested can attend and meet Simon Wyard and Anna Fraser to see a demonstration of their work and ‘have-a-go’ with some clay.
Following the first session, people in Winsford will then have the opportunity to attend further sessions during the next few months, to start on their own small mural for their home, and, at the same time, plan the larger village hall mural.
Project co-ordinator Jan Ross said: “We hope people will come along to the first session so that we can involve as many as possible, whether by just giving us their ideas for the final piece, learning the skills involved in making small pieces, or assisting Simon and Anna with the final mural.
“We have had a staggering amount of interest in the project so far, with 27 people
taking part in Wheddon Cross and 25 people in Brompton Regis, far more than we were expecting.”
Further information is available from Jan Ross by telephoning 01398 323818, or emailing janaross2003@yahoo.co.uk.
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Free laptop computer to be given to home-based business

A BRAND new laptop computer is available to be won for free in a draw being held at 12 noon at the West Somerset Business Fair on Wednesday, February 28.
The fair is being organised in the Queens Hall, Minehead, by the West Somerset Business Network, from 11 am to 6 pm.
The business network has already sent out a questionnaire to all known businesses which operate from home, and anybody who completes and returns the form will be entered into the draw for the laptop.
The form needs to be returned by February 15, and for anybody who has not received a copy, it is available from the business network’s website at www.westsomersetbusinessnetwork.org.
The aim of the questionnaire is to determine the future needs of local businesses and to gauge whether there is demand for a high-speed broadband service in West Somerset.
The business network is working in partnership with the prize sponsor, Westlabb Ltd, and questionnaire sponsor, Connecting Somerset, which is also one of the business fair sponsors.
District council cabinet member, Councillor Roger Webber, who is a director of Westlabb, said: “Westlabb, via the Exmoor Community Computer Centre who deliver the IT training, has done a fantastic job in enabling residents in rural parishes to form worldwide links via the internet.
“If people want more training, they can contact Jo Hoare at the computer centre on 01643 851594.”
Westlabb Ltd has successfully achieved its main objectives since its formation in 2004 by facilitating internet and IT training for 14 parishes within West Somerset.
It also commissioned the West Somerset Internet Community Interest Company to provide a high-speed broadband service to Crowcombe, Brompton Regis, and Luxborough, and is now considering whether to extend this service.
Anybody who would like to learn more about broadband for their business is welcome to have an informal discussion with Connecting Somerset at the business fair on February 28.

• Our photograph shows the laptop computer prize with (left to right) district council rural facilitator Angela Lamplough, Westlabb director Bob Druitt, Neil Saunders and Dave Cornish, both of Connecting Somerset, Councillor Roger Webber, and Westlabb directors Phil Brown, Iain Joyce, and Jon Summers. Photo submitted.

Burglars target Exmoor woman, 83

POLICE are seeking three intruders who stole cash from the Exmoor home of an 83-year-old woman.
The woman disturbed three men who were in the sitting room of her home in Haddon View, Brompton Regis.
She found them looking through her writing desk and after a brief conversation the woman starting screaming and waving her walking stick at them.
The intruders fled, and it was then found that they had taken a quantity of cash.
The incident happened at about 3 pm on Monday, January 22.
Two of the offenders are described as aged between 30 and 40 years, clean shaven, of average height, and stocky.
They were wearing matching navy blue overalls of smart appearance.
There was also a third man, but no description is available.
Anybody who might have any information about the incident is asked to contact the Avon and Somerset Constabulary burglary team at Taunton Police Station by telephoning the lo-call number 0845 4567000.
Or, anybody who might be able to help the police can contact them through their secure Crimestoppers contact form at https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/crimestoppers/ContactForm.aspx.
Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Callers do not need to give their name, and they could receive a reward.

Photo submitted.